Wikipedia

2023–24 Spartan South Midlands Football League

The 2023–24 season was the 27th in the history of the Spartan South Midlands Football League, a football competition in England. The league operates three divisions, two of which are in covered in this article, the Premier Division, at Step 5 and Division One at Step 6 of the English football league system.

The constitution was announced on 15 May 2023.[1] Starting this season, the Step 5 Premier Division in the league promotes two clubs; one as champions and one via a four-team play-off. This replaced the previous inter-step play-off system. For this season only, there would have been only one club relegated from the Step 5 division.[2]

Premier Division

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Spartan South Midlands
Football League
Premier Division
Season2023–24
ChampionsReal Bedford
PromotedReal Bedford
Leverstock Green
Matches played342
Goals scored1,201 (3.51 per match)

The Premier Division featured 14 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with six new clubs:

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Real Bedford 36 28 7 1 117 24 +93 91 Promoted to the Southern League
2 Milton Keynes Irish 36 26 7 3 96 25 +71 85 Qualified for the play-offs
3 Harpenden Town 36 21 5 10 74 51 +23 68
4 Leverstock Green 36 20 8 8 73 53 +20 68 Qualified for the play-offs, then promoted to the Southern League
5 FC Romania 36 18 7 11 76 64 +12 61 Qualified for the play-offs
6 Tring Athletic 36 17 8 11 63 51 +12 59
7 Colney Heath 36 18 3 15 57 45 +12 57
8 Cockfosters 36 15 10 11 71 56 +15 55
9 Potton United 36 14 8 14 50 57 −7 50
10 London Lions 36 13 7 16 74 75 −1 46
11 Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 36 13 7 16 58 78 −20 46
12 Biggleswade United 36 12 7 17 67 80 −13 43
13 Dunstable Town 36 10 10 16 51 64 −13 40
14 Stansted 36 11 7 18 47 67 −20 40 Transferred to the Essex Senior League
15 Baldock Town 36 11 4 21 61 83 −22 34[a]
16 Arlesey Town 36 9 7 20 36 69 −33 34
17 Crawley Green 36 9 6 21 51 85 −34 33
18 Shefford Town & Campton 36 9 6 21 50 91 −41 33
19 Sawbridgeworth Town 36 2 8 26 29 83 −54 14 Transferred to the Essex Senior League
20 St Panteleimon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Folded[b]
Source: The FA Full-Time
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[4]
Notes:
  1. ^ Baldock Town were deducted 3 points.
  2. ^ St Panteleimon folded on 28 March 2024 with immediate effect.[3]

Play-offs

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Semi-finals Final
      
2 Milton Keynes Irish 0
5 FC Romania 3
4 Leverstock Green 3
5 FC Romania 0
3 Harpenden Town 1
4 Leverstock Green 3

Semifinals

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1 May Harpenden Town1–3 Leverstock Green Harpenden
19:45
  • Locke  
 Report
Stadium: Rothamsted Park
Referee: Nathan Currey
1 May Milton Keynes Irish0–3 FC Romania Milton Keynes
19:45 Report
Stadium: The Irish Centre
Attendance: 405
Referee: Daniel Jones

Final

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6 May Leverstock Green 3–0FC RomaniaLeverstock Green
15:00
Report Stadium: Pancake Lane
Attendance: 914
Referee: Chad Greatorex

Stadia and locations

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Locations of the Premier Division clubs
Team Stadium Capacity
Arlesey Town Hitchin Road 2,920
Baldock Town
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos Haywood Way
Biggleswade United Fairfield Road 2,000
Cockfosters Chalk Lane 1,000
Colney Heath Recreation Ground
Crawley Green The Brache 4,000
Dunstable Town Creasey Park 3,065
FC Romania Theobalds Lane (groundshare with Cheshunt) 3,000
Harpenden Town Rothamsted Park
Leverstock Green Pancake Lane
London Lions Rowley Lane
Milton Keynes Irish Manor Fields 1,500
Potton United The Hollow
Real Bedford McMullen Park
Sawbridgeworth Town Crofters End 2,500
Shefford Town & Campton Shefford Sports Club 1,000
St Panteleimon Hertingfordbury Park (groundshare with Hertford Town)
Stansted Hargrave Park 2,000
Tring Athletic Grass Roots Stadium

Division One

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Spartan South Midlands
Football League
Division One
Season2023–24
ChampionsNorthampton ON Chenecks
PromotedNorthampton ON Chenecks
Northampton Sileby Rangers
Winslow United
RelegatedBurton Park Wanderers
Matches played380
Goals scored1,448 (3.81 per match)

Division One featured twelve clubs which competed in the division last season, along with eight new clubs:

Also, Buckingham Athletic merged with Division Two club Buckingham United to form the new club Buckingham.

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Northampton ON Chenecks 38 29 8 1 102 23 +79 95 Promoted to the United Counties League
2 Northampton Sileby Rangers 38 24 6 8 98 46 +52 78 Qualified for the play-offs,
then promoted to the United Counties League
3 Winslow United 38 23 7 8 85 50 +35 76 Qualified for the play-offs,
then promoted to the Premier Division
4 Moulton 38 22 8 8 84 48 +36 74 Qualified for the play-offs
5 Wellingborough Whitworth 38 22 8 8 95 61 +34 74
6 Langford 38 21 5 12 91 56 +35 68
7 Ampthill Town 38 20 8 10 95 61 +34 67[a]
8 Leighton Town development 38 20 7 11 76 59 +17 67
9 Cranfield United 38 18 6 14 77 48 +29 60
10 Royston Town U23 38 18 6 14 89 64 +25 60
11 Rothwell Corinthians 38 14 12 12 86 68 +18 54
12 Long Buckby 38 13 4 21 77 85 −8 43
13 Buckingham 38 10 12 16 59 80 −21 42
14 Huntingdon Town 38 10 9 19 57 89 −32 39
15 Letchworth Garden City Eagles 38 11 6 21 55 81 −26 36[b]
16 Eaton Socon 38 9 6 23 44 85 −41 33
17 Raunds Town 38 7 9 22 46 90 −44 30
18 Rushden & Higham United 38 7 6 25 51 106 −55 27
19 Irchester United 38 5 8 25 34 121 −87 23
20 Burton Park Wanderers 38 5 3 30 47 127 −80 18 Resigned from the league
Source: The FA Full-Time
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored; 4) number of matches won; 5) head-to-head results[4]
Notes:
  1. ^ Ampthill Town were deducted 1 point.
  2. ^ Letchworth Garden City Eagles were deducted 3 points.

Reserve and U23 sides are ineligible for promotion to Step 5 or higher.

Play-offs

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Semi-finals Final
      
2 Northampton Sileby Rangers 3
5 Moulton 1
2 Northampton Sileby Rangers 1
3 Winslow United 3
3 Winslow United 5
4 Wellingborough Whitworth 1

Semifinals

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30 April Northampton Sileby Rangers 3–1MoultonNorthampton
19:45
Report Stadium: Fernie Fields
Attendance: 151
Referee: Andy Woolmer
30 April Winslow United 5–1Wellingborough WhitworthWinslow
19:45
Report Stadium: Elmfields Gate

Final

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4 May Northampton Sileby Rangers1–3 Winslow United Northampton
15:00
Report Stadium: Fernie Fields
Attendance: 263
Referee: Matthew Rendell

Stadia and locations

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Locations of Division One clubs
Team Stadium Capacity
Ampthill Town Ampthill Park 1,300
Buckingham Stratford Fields
Burton Park Wanderers Latimer Park (groundshare with Kettering Town)
Cranfield United Crawley Road
Eaton Socon River Road
Huntingdon Town Jubilee Park
Irchester United Alfred Street 1,800
Langford Forde Park 2,800
Leighton Town development Bell Close 2,800
Letchworth Garden City Eagles Pixmore Pitches
Long Buckby Station Road 1,000
Moulton Brunting Road
Northampton ON Chenecks Old Northamptonians Sports Ground
Northampton Sileby Rangers Fernie Fields
Raunds Town Kiln Park
Rushden & Higham United Hayden Road 1,500
Rothwell Corinthians Desborough Road
Royston Town U23 Garden Walk 5,000
Wellingborough Whitworth The Victoria Mill Ground 2,140
Winslow United Elmfields Gate 2,000

Division Two

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Spartan South Midlands
Football League
Division Two
Season2023–24
ChampionsAFC Welwyn
PromotedAFC Welwyn
Matches played306
Goals scored1,134 (3.71 per match)

Division Two featured 14 clubs which competed in the division last season, along with four new clubs:

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion
1 AFC Welwyn 34 24 5 5 89 31 +58 77 Promoted to Division One
2 Bovingdon F.C. 34 21 6 7 83 46 +37 69
3 Old Bradwell United 34 19 7 8 74 38 +36 64
4 Codicote 34 19 6 9 73 43 +30 63
5 Newport Pagnell Town development 34 17 7 10 70 62 +8 58
6 Pitstone & Ivinghoe 34 18 2 14 75 55 +20 56
7 New Bradwell St Peter 34 16 6 12 79 51 +28 54
8 Aston Clinton 34 15 6 13 64 54 +10 51
9 Milton Keynes College 34 15 5 14 78 73 +5 50
10 Totternhoe 34 14 7 13 61 71 −10 49
11 Stony Stratford Town 34 14 6 14 62 69 −7 48
12 Milton Keynes Irish reserves 34 12 11 11 62 65 −3 47
13 Eynesbury United 34 10 7 17 40 55 −15 37
14 AFC Caddington 34 10 4 20 61 100 −39 34
15 Sarratt 34 8 5 21 40 84 −44 29
16 Tring Corinthians AFC 34 5 13 16 39 68 −29 28
17 Berkhamsted Raiders 34 7 5 22 52 85 −33 26 Resigned from the league
18 The 61 34 5 6 23 32 84 −52 21
Source: FA Full-Time
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

References

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  1. ^ "REVEALED: Club allocations 2023-24 announced by The FA". The Non-League Football Paper. 15 May 2023.
  2. ^ "STEP 5 TO 4 PROMOTION/RELEGATION UPDATE". The FA. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  3. ^ "Sawbridgeworth Town set to escape relegation from Spartan South Midlands League, Premier Division following St Panteleimon withdrawal". Bishop's Stortford Independent. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b "The FA Handbook 2022/2023 Part 29 Standardised Rules Section 12.2". The FA.
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